Contact: Bob DeSando
For Release: June 7, 2000

Commissioner Hespe Proposes Continuing the Transition to Local Control
By Giving Jersey City School Board Power over Fiscal and Budget Issues

Commissioner of Education David C. Hespe today recommended
to the State Board of Education that the Jersey City School Board be given
control over the districts budget and finances.

The Jersey City school system, the second largest in
New Jersey, has been under state control since 1989. In acknowledgement
of the academic strides made by the district since state takeover, last
July Commissioner Hespe and the State Board of Education established a
framework for the gradual devolution of school governance to the Jersey
City community. With the concurrence of the State Board and Commissioner,
the state superintendent overseeing the district agreed to refrain from
using his veto power over curriculum and policy matters, thereby giving
the Jersey City Board of Education control in these two areas.

"The Jersey City Board of Education, under the leadership
of its former president, Gregg Butterfield, exercised power over curriculum
and policy matters successfully," said Commissioner Hespe. "The
board clearly demonstrated progress in its decision-making abilities.
But the board has recently undergone a significant transformation. As
a result of the school election, a third of the boards members are
new, as are its president and vice president. In addition, the work done
with the community by the previous board leadership clearly indicates
that the community supports a return to local control but is concerned
and wants the process to incorporate safeguards to prevent backsliding.

"The continued gradual devolution of authority that
I am proposing today reflects this need for slow movement while allowing
the state to continue to monitor the ability of the board to responsibly
govern the district at even higher levels of authority. We are optimistic
that the board will establish a working relationship among its members,
and we will see high-level leadership emerge."

In addition to this continued devolution of authority
to the board, the commissioner recommended the establishment of a 13-member
transition team to develop and recommend a blueprint for the final stages
of returning Jersey City schools to local control. The team will be appointed
by the Commissioner and serve in an advisory capacity. It will submit
its plan to the Commissioner and State Board by November 1, 2000. This
team will assist the district board of education in galvanizing community
support and commitment and bring a diversity of views and experience to
developing a blueprint for the final stages of the transition.

The Commissioner will select the teams chairperson.
Members will include two representatives of the Jersey City Board of Education,
two members from the business community, a representative of the local
teachers union, a representative of the local association of school
administrators, one support staff representative, one representative of
the mayor, two representatives from the higher education community and
three civic/community leaders. The director of the Department of Educations
Office of State-Operated Schools, the state district superintendent and
the Hudson County superintendent will participate in the meetings as non-voting
members.

"The transition team will recommend a timetable
for return to local control, activities that must occur along the route,
benchmarks to measure progress, and specific strategies to solidify community
involvement and support during and after the transition and to protect
against backsliding," Hespe said. "Legislation will be required
in order to implement the final stages of that transition plan. We would
like to see that legislation in place by the end of the year.

"The key to success in Jersey City is strong, positive
leadership at the district and school level," the Commissioner noted.
"The state cannot make this happen by fiat. It can only foster leadership.
The district must have positive leadership to be effective, and those
leaders must seek community input and support. It is our hope that the
transition teams plan will assist the district administration and
board in developing this capacity in Jersey City.

"The school board of a state-operated district,
as it transitions to local control, has a special responsibility to the
children, the community and the state. Public scrutiny of its actions
will be intense, and public confidence must be priority."

The Commissioner said he believes that the best way for
the board to demonstrate its leadership capacity and its commitment to
integrity and accountability is by developing enhancements to the districts
code of ethics and professional responsibility.

Hespe said that is the reasoning behind a stipulation
that a more rigorous code of ethical conduct be adopted by the school
board as a condition of the board exercising expanded authority. Although
the Commissioner will furnish the board with sample codes of conduct and
provide guidance regarding desirable enhancements to its existing code,
the board itself will propose what changes it wishes to make and the penalties
for violations. Upon the Commissioners approval, the board will
administer the code. The Commissioner will also have the power to enforce
the code and hear appeals.

To provide the board with greater resources, the commissioner
will designate a liaison to the board as well as a higher education representative.
These individuals should be allowed to participate in board discussions,
but they would not be able to vote.